Verizon Offers Customers Rewards in Return for Ad Targeting Data

Verizon plans to launch a nationwide loyalty program on Thursday, which will offer its 100 million wireless subscribers rewards in exchange for information about their location and Web browsing information, as well as other behaviors.

Verizon customers that sign up for the new “Smart Rewards” program will be required to also opt in to another program called Verizon Selects, which tracks its customers’ locations, web browsing and mobile application usage data, and other demographic and interest information that will be used to help marketers better target them with ads.

Ultimately Verizon plans to license the data it collects to help advertising technology companies serve more relevant ads and offers to its subscribers. The first companies to have access to the datasets will most likely be Verizon Precision Market Insights’ existing ad tech partners, which include Oracle, Bluekai, Run, Turn, and Brightroll.